K-Pop Releases: Aug. 2025

Initial Release: Sept. 4 (Happy Birthday to me!)

Hello, everyone! Welcome, or welcome back to K-Pop Releases! This is the blog series where I take a look at a select number of k-pop songs, and I rank them based entirely on my own opinion. I'm Grace, and today we're looking at the songs that were released in August! And for me, this month's set was pretty average. Not great, not terrible... just average. Which is weird because my favorite k-pop group had a comeback this month, but we'll get into that later. But right now, let's look at the tier list!

Tier Rankings:

• 0/6 - Crap Tier (hate the song)

• 1/6 - Bad Tier (still don't like, but could be worse)

• 2/6 - Mid Tier (boring or just mediocre)

• 3/6 - Decent Tier (just okay, only check out once in a while)

• 4/6 - Good Tier (perfectly serviceable)

• 5/6 - Great Tier (really enjoy)

• 6/6 - Amazing Tier (completely in love)

I would like to alliterate that it's okay that you might not share the same opinion as me, but please be respectful about my takes if you want me to respect yours. We have a lot of songs to go through, so let's get to them!

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'iLy' by SAY MY NAME

Release: Aug. 1

Label: iNKODE

Tier: 5/6

Back in March, I reviewed the girl group, SAY MY NAME, with their song, 'ShaLaLa'. The song was fine, but from the obvious exception of Hitomi, none of the other girls stood out to me. They're cute, and that's about it. Then, on July 10th, iNKODE announced that there was gonna be a new member added to the group, thus making SMN eight members. I was really curious on how that would play out, and I think eight-member girl groups are starting to become a trend for 5th Gen with the likes of UNIS and Hearts2Hearts.

'iLy' is their first release after said announcement, and they really knocked it out of park with this track! Yes, I really enjoy this song! Let's start with the obvious: the chorus interpolates the 1967 Frankie Valli hit single, 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You'. Say what you will about that song, but it has been covered and sampled many, many times. You may vaguely remember the 2019 single, 'ily (i love you baby)' by Surf Mesa as another example of this. I like how the sample is handled in this song; the girls sound sweet, and they end up making the hook super catchy.

And what about those girls? The song opens up with Dohee, in her soft, gentle vocals singing the chorus against a strumming acoustic guitar, and then the beat changes to a swanky 2-step production, which ends up sounding really fun. The first verse opens with the new member, Shuie, and she makes a great first impression! Her rap has a lot of charm, and I like when Kanny joins in with her. I even like some of the vocal moments from Hitomi, Mei and Seungjoo; I thought they sounded pretty cute.

SAY MY NAME, you're starting to win me over. Keep it up!

'Crazier' by BoA

Release: Aug. 4

Label: SM Entertainment

Tier: 3/6

So, BoA... Let's look into her: she's a soloist from SM, who debuted in 2000 at the age of 13 (Jesus...) and has had a pretty successful run in South Korea. I've only listened to her through the super girl group, GOT the Beat, and I wasn't feeling it (I mean with the group, not BoA herself).

This is the first time I listened to one of her songs, and it's okay. Yeah... just fine. I'll start with the production. 'Crazier' is backed by an electric guitar, which sounds roudy and really cool. Then there's BoA herself, and she's a mixed bag here. Her raspy tone is engaging, I think she really shines in the chorus. Though I find her delivery in the verses pretty annoying. I get that she's going for a self-empowerment vibe, but her tone sounds like she's taunting me, and I don't like that.

The song isn't bad, but I feel like I could've enjoyed this more. I may look into more of BoA's work, but for my first time looking at a 1st Gen artist, this turned out okay!

'DANCING ALONE' by KiiiKiii

Release: Aug. 6

Label: STARSHIP Entertainment

Tier: 4/6

And here, we have the first comeback from KiiiKiii! In case you forgot or were unaware, they're the new girl group from STARSHIP. While I'm open to the idea of this group's concept, I haven't heard anything from them that wows me yet.

Their new single, 'DANCING ALONE', might be close to that feeling, because I really like this track! It's a retro synthpop track, an ode to friendship and to cherish every moment spent together. It's a sweet sentiment, and while the girls sound nice, I feel like their personalities don't shine as much as they could. I'm probably reading too much into this; after all, these girls are still young, and they have a lot of room to grow as artists. Still, this is a nice improvement from their previous release. Nice job, KiiiKiii!

'DAMDADI' by R.Tee ft. SOYEON of i-dle

Release: Aug. 10

Label: RTST Label

Tier: 4/6

Here's another installment of "An Artist That Wasn't on My Comeback List, but I Decided to Review Them Anyways"! In this case, it's R. Tee, a music producer who's worked with numerous YG acts, most notably BIGBANG and BLACKPINK. We also have Soyeon from the girl group, i-dle, and honestly, out of everyone in that group, she's my bias - no question. That mainly comes from her skills as a rapper, something she doesn't do on this song much at all.

'DAMDADI' is an alright dance track, where Soyeon sings about how she's ready to be with her lover. Sure, her voice is more on the "squeakier" side, but when she sings in her lower register, she sounds really good! I'm not very fond of the chorus, because when her vocals go above her range, she sounds strained, almost off-key, even. I also really like her rap in the second verse, even if I feel like her personality could've shone better. Another thing that really holds this song back for me is just how short it is, only clocking in at almost two and a half minutes. I feel like the length could've expanded a bit more.

If you're interested, give this song a listen. You might like it!

'HUNTER' by KEY

Release: Aug. 11

Label: SM Entertainment

Tier: 5/6

And here, we have Key, the lead rapper of SHINee, and like with fellow member, Onew, last month, this is the first time I'm looking at one of his solo tracks. And let me just say... this is really good!

'HUNTER' has a really cool beat - dark and sinister, but also a bit grandiose in a way! Key has a nice singing voice and engaging stage presence; I feel like he does a great job carrying this track. Though if I have one nitpick, it's the whisper flow he does in the opening lines of the second verse. I feel that part takes me out of the experience. Besides that, this song is great! I may need to look into more of this guy's work.

'CLOSER' by JEON SOMI

Release: Aug. 11

Label: THEBLACKLABEL

Tier: 2/6

Remember last month, when I reviewed 'EXTRA'? Yeah...turns out, that was the pre-release track for Somi's new mini-album, Chaotic & Confused. 'CLOSER' is the title track, and I'm not a fan of this song.

Let's talk about the obvious: this song interpolates the melody from Sean Kingston's 'Beautiful Girls', and looking back, that song doesn't hold up very well. The lyrics, which are about a boy who hates having his heart broken by a "beautiful girl" that it makes him feel "suicidal" (his words, not mine), already put a sour taste in my mouth, but what really turns me off is that song's production, which sampled the 1961 Ben E. King track, 'Stand by Me', which ends up sounding too chipper for me to take seriously.

What I'm saying is, 'CLOSER' is a sample of a sample. I like what Somi did with this sample, changing the lyrics to be about finally hooking up with her lover, but that comes crashing down with this song's production. It's wants to be sensual, but it comes off as too sinister for me to enjoy. I think even she knew how miserable this sounds, because she does this chanting in the chorus, and it sounds more annoying and out of place.

I really want to root for Somi, but something's telling me she's not gonna make another track as great as 'Fast Forward', is she? Oh well... Let's see if the next song is any better.

'That's That' by AMPERS&ONE

Release: Aug. 12

Label: FNC Entertainment

Tier: 4/6

The next few groups we're looking at next are acts that had comebacks from earlier this year, but I didn't look at them then because of reasons I'll briefly explain. Starting off with AMPERS&ONE, a seven-member boy band from FNC, the company you may know for SF9 and P1Harmony. A pretty good track record for boy bands, I'll say. These guys debuted in late 2023, and all their title tracks so far are really good! I wished I looked into them sooner.

This is their latest comeback, and I really like 'That's That'. The song is backed by a saxophone and an upbeat...beat. The guys seem to be flexing on how cool they are, and hey, they sound good doing it - I'm not complaining. Brian and Mackiah are solid enough rappers, and I especially love how the latter opens up the second verse. Mackiah's voice isn't exceptionally deep, but it's deep enough. The other members have a nice vocal presence, but nothing that really stands out. Still, this is a pretty cool song, and I hope you give AMPERS&ONE a chance, because they're underrated.

'BOMBA' by YOUNITE

Release: Aug. 13

Label: Brand New Music

Tier: 5/6

Now on to YOUNITE, currently eight members (seven in this video, but whatever), who debuted in 2022 and have a mixed reaction from me. I haven't dove into their title tracks in while, and while some of their songs are fine, others are either really bland or annoying. I initially planned to review 'Rock Steady' back in April, but I couldn't think of anything to say. That's how much of a non-presence these guys are!

Although to be fair, 'BOMBA' seems to be one of their better songs. This song is a lot of fun, with an off-kilter bass, references to weaponry, along with the occasional Spanish lyrics- wait a minute... This is just 'Chk Chk Boom' again! Though out of all the songs from Stray Kids to emulate, 'Chk Chk Boom' isn't a bad choice. I really like that song, and while that one's production was more laid-back and more of a flex anthem than anything, 'BOMBA' is more dance-heavy and in your face. It really leans into the Latin flair, and it's a lot of fun! I love the bridge, when the piano starts playing. It sounds so cool! The guys themselves sound like they're enjoying themselves, and that's cool, too! Check this one out if you're interested.

'FREESTYLE' by YOUNG POSSE

Release: Aug. 14

Label: DSP Media

Tier: 3/6

Here's an interesting case with this group. YOUNG POSSE debuted in late 2023 with a hip-hop concept, something that can make or break my interest towards them. Sure, 'XXL' and 'ATE THAT' from last year are really excellent tracks, but keep in mind: these girls are still really young. They have room to grow, and I can see the respect they have for hip-hop culture, but there's also a part of me that feels like this concept comes off more as "costume-dressing". I mean, they have a scrapped song called 'Santa Claus is Coming to Hood' - I think that should tell you enough about their persona.

They had a comeback in March, and while I thought about reviewing 'COLD', it sounded very different from their usual output. 'FREESTYLE' is much more in their lane, and I'm really conflicted on this. The beat is a lot of fun, energetic the whole way through. But dear God, why is everyone shouting the whole damn time?! It sounds really annoying! The only time the song settles down is in the second verse, when the bass and piano play, and Jieun and Sunhye give a really nice "lazy" rap performance. Then the production amps up, and the shouting comes back. I appreciate the girls trying to be hype, but this isn't something I want to return to a lot. Just saying.

'What You Want' by CORTIS

Release: Aug. 18

Label: HYBE - Big Hit Music

Tier: 4/6

Here we are... Big Hit's newest boy band. Before you ask, "CORTIS" means "color outside the lines", kinda like how "TXT" is an acronym for "TOMORROW X TOGETHER". And considering that group debuted six years ago, and BTS in 2013, I'm gonna guess the next group will debut in 2031? I feel like I'm sensing a pattern.

Back to CORTIS. They have five members, all with songwriting credits for their debut album, COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES, which is coming out on the 8th next month. Yeah, Big Hit was generous enough to put this on Spotify ahead of the album's release! This track, 'What You Want', is about the guys making it big in the industry. While the boys' vocals sound a bit rough around the edges, this song is completely saved by the production. 'What You Want' goes for this psychedelic rock sound, and it sounds incredible! I can see myself listening to this during a long car ride. I'm already intrigued by what CORTIS might do next. Good song; give this a listen!

'Love Splash!' by JOY

Release: Aug. 18

Label: SM Entertainment

Tier: 4/6

Now we move on to Joy, one of the rappers from Red Velvet, making her first solo comeback! She made her solo debut in 2021, and 'Hello' was an excellent track! It's one of the happiest-sounding k-pop songs you'll ever hear!

While 'Love Splash!' isn't as great as that song was, it's still really good. Joy has a much softer, cooier voice compared to some of the other members in her group, and she sounds really sweet here! This is about a summer love, and the production has a low-key vibe that I really like. I also like Joy's little raps, from the opening lines to the bridge. This is a nice song, and I hope you check this one out!

'BUBBLE GUM' by Kep1er

Release: Aug. 19

Labels: WAKEONE/KLAP Entertainment

Tier: 5/6

Kep1er are a girl group who exist. They're fine, they have personality, but they're not a group I would seek out all the time. They originally debuted as a nine-member project group in 2022, and they were meant to disband last year, but most of the girls would end up renewing their contracts. Two girls, Mashiro and Yeseo, would leave the group and join MAIDEN, a group I haven't been interested in looking into.

This is their first Korean comeback of the year, and actually kinda like this song! I want to get this out of the way first: Youngeon isn't part of this comeback. She's been on hiatus for the past month due to health reasons, and I hope she gets better soon. So why do I like this song? It's simple - it's fun and catchy!

Yeah, I'm quite surprised by this. 'BUBBLE GUM' may have a dark trap beat, but the production has enough energy for the girls to work off of. Dayeon, Hikaru and even Bahiyyih have fun raps in the verses, and I love how Xiaoting and Chaehyun sing their respective pre-choruses! Personally, I would say Xiaoting is the shining star on this track overall; she sounds really good on this! As for Yujin, I feel like she gets overshadowed by everyone else here. She didn't even get the least lines, and yet, she was such a non-presence. But still, this is a fun track, and I hope you give it a listen!

'Goodbyes and Sad Eyes' by Moon Byul

Release: Aug. 20

Label: RBW

Tier: 6/6

Finally. Our first Amazing Tier song in this blog! Honestly, I nearly forgot that Moonbyul put out a new album. I reviewed her pre-release track, 'ICY BBY', in June, and I thought it was fine. It wasn't anything special, but it was good for what it was.

'Goodbyes and Sad Eyes' on the other hand, is really excellent! It's a pop-rock song where Moonbyul sings about how even though she left a messy break-up, she's gonna live her life to the fullest. Sure, the echoey chipmunk vocal effect in the intro is a bit irritating, but that's quickly ignored once the electric guitar kicks in, and the production on this track is awesome! It has bite, and yet, it does a great job at capturing the emotional core of the lyrics. And man, Moonbyul sounds fantastic here! You can tell from her vocal delivery alone that she's ready to move on from her ex. I like the bridge, where the instrumentation settles down, Moonbyul sings in a softer tone, while also adding her rap in there as well. And then the final chorus explodes, and it just sounds great! What else can I add?!

Maybe this blog might turn up after all. Let's see what the next song is!

'CEREMONY' by Stray Kids

Release: Aug. 22

Label: JYP Entertainment

Tier: 4/6

Well, we made it to this point. Unless you follow any of my social media pages, you might not know this, so let me explain. Stray Kids are my top ult group and the reason I've been diving into k-pop for the past nearly two years, aside from the few number of girl groups. What can I say? 3Racha know how to make sick-ass beats.

The last time Stray Kids had a Korean comeback was in December with their mixtape album, HOP, and I feel like its title track, 'Walkin' on Water', is bound to get lost in the shuffle. Which is a shame, because that song was awesome! It was an '80's hip-hop throwback, sure, but it had this grandiose atmosphere, and all the members sounded incredibly badass!

I had a feeling whatever SKZ came back with, it was gonna be a massive downgrade. That's partially true with 'CEREMONY', but it's not as worse as the teasers made it seem (that...or the editors at JYP suck at making teaser videos). This song is fine, possibly their most "fine" title track since 2022. 3Racha and Versachoi team up yet again for a cool, yet funky beat, which can end up feeling a bit empty at times. Thankfully, that's made up by the lyrics and Stray Kids themselves.

'CEREMONY' is another track where the guys celebrate their success and how far they've come. And considering all the music records this group had broken over the past few years, the flexing feels completely justified on their end! I also really like how each member is utilized on this track. Changbin and Han have fun rap verses, and I really like I.N's vocals in the third verse. I also like how Seungmin, Hyunjin and Lee Know sound in the pre-choruses, even if some of the vocals are a bit rough (especially Hyunjin). Something that really got me upon first listen was how little Felix was on this track. Maybe it's because I'm used to him having more lines in some of more recent singles, but here, he has the ending line to the first pre-chorus and the opening lines to the outro! But then I remember, his voice is super deep, and this production is too empty for him to work off of. He usually shines the best on the more "in-your-face" tracks. Come to think of it, Bang Chan wasn't on this track much, either! He's mainly in the chorus, going "Hip-hip (Hooray)", which I'll admit, is a pretty cute bit.

This may have a rough listen at first, but it sure gets stuck in your head. Not one of my personal favorite title tracks, but it works for what it is!

'Upside Down' by CHANYEOL

Release: Aug. 25

Label: SM Entertainment

Tier: 5/6

It wouldn't be a monthly review blog without an EXO member releasing new music, would it?

In this case, it's Chanyeol, the main rapper of said group who made his solo debut last year. He's back with a new mini album, and its title track, which happens to share the same name, is really good! 'Upside Down' is a rock song, about being beat down by life, wanting things to be exciting. I definitely get emo vibes from this track (in a good way), and I like how Chanyeol sings in his lower register. His voice is rough, but I don't mind that here, as I think this song shines best with the instrumentation. The guitars sound great, and I like that distorted sound in the pre-chorus.

In my opinion, this is the best EXO solo member release from this year so far! Great job, Chanyeol!

'XOXZ' by IVE

Release: Aug. 25

Label: STARSHIP Entertainment

Tier: 4/6

Well, we reviewed my favorite boy band in a previous segment; it's only fitting to review one of my favorite girl groups soon after. Welcome back, IVE!

Earlier this winter, they released their mini album, IVE EMPATHY, which had two really excellent singles off of it! 'REBEL HEART' and 'ATTITUDE' were different, but they were still in tune with IVE's "perfect pop" sound. Now they have a new mini album, IVE SECRET, with only one title track. Yeah...so no pre-releases or double title tracks - just one solid song to represent the project, which is the first time this has happened since their single albums in 2022 (at least in terms of Korean releases).

And solid indeed, because 'XOXZ' is just alright. The darker production sounds pretty cool, but the chorus just feels underwhelming to me. I'm not a big fan of the rapping chorus, especially from Wonyoung. Don't get me wrong; I like Wonyoung - she has charisma and a lot of charm in her vocals, but rapping isn't her strong suit. Same with Yujin, and I hate to say this, but she's such a non-presence on this track. Which is weird, because she has most distinct voice in this group! But here, she's only on the chorus and the ending line of the bridge, and I feel like she doesn't shine as much as the others.

Thankfully, the other four are really good here! Rei and Leeseo play off each very well in the first verse, I like Gaeul's vocals in the first pre-chorus and second verse, and Liz has some nice vocal moments as well! There's also the bridge, which sounds really gorgeous, by the way! Not one of their best title tracks, but it works! I just hope Yujin's contribution here grows on my like with 'ATTITUDE'.

'BLUE!' by SUNMI

Release: Aug. 26

Label: ABYSS Company

Tier: 4/6

Okay, last song in today's blog, and we have an interesting case with this artist. This is Sunmi, who was once a member of the 2nd Gen group, Wonder Girls, whom I mainly know as the first Korean act to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. I know a couple of their songs, but they never did much to stand out for me.

Sunmi made her solo debut in 2013, back when she was still signed to JYP. Then in 2017, Wonder Girls disbanded, and she switched to ABYSS (formerly known as Makeus Ent.), and started churning out hit songs every year since then.

This is her newest single, and it's really good! 'BLUE!' is a soft rock tune, about instability and the beauty of youth. It's a lovely listen, and Sunmi has a sweet voice. I'm not familiar with her previous work, but something tells me that I should look into her. I don't see myself checking this one out often, but I definitely recommend you give it a listen.

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And that's August for you! I know that ending segment wasn't the best, but I'm just glad to be finished with this month! There were more acts I wanted to check out, but they were cut mainly for time or I just didn't have much to think about. If you enjoyed this blog, be sure to sign up so you don't miss out on new content!

Next month should be pretty busy, so get ready for that! I'm Grace, and have a wonderful day!